Order and Chaos

"No, I haven't made an appointment," I admitted. "But I'm putting you in charge of that. If we have to sacrifice a live cow on a pile of yew branches, or bribe one of her priests, or whatever, it's your job to do it."

"What makes you think I know how to negotiate with gods? If I had any idea how to do that, I wouldn't have spent months on a freezing mountain trying to get away from them. I'm just an economic theorist, and technically a soldier. I don't even know how to kill gods, your father handled that part of it."

"It's not that hard," I replied. "Felus went down easily enough."

"Yes, but I already told you Felus was terrible at godhood. He was... wait a minute. You killed Felus?"

"Yes, did I not mention that? It was after he ordered me to kill all humans. I refused, but I was told later that a god's orders are prophetic and I apparently don't have a choice in the matter."

"That's a load of nonsense that I can't get into right now. If Felus is dead, how is it the soldiers on the mountain are trapped in one of his illusions? When did you kill him?"

"I don't know. At least two weeks ago, I think. I've lost track of time."

"And I've lost track of how long it took me to get down the mountain. So the rest of the troops might be freezing to death right now."

"Well, we'd best get up the mountain to help them, then."

"And what are they going to do when they find out you killed Felus and ruined their little illusory paradise?"

"Well, I don't intend to tell them that. Were you planning on it?"

"No, but I don't expect the gods to be cooperative in keeping your secrets."

That gave me pause.

On the one hand, I was queen and these were my soldiers. Could I really abandon them just because they were going to blame me for the destruction of their paradise?

On the other hand, well, they were probably going to blame me for the destruction of their paradise, and they were armed.

What was I to do?